The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) administration has launched formal legal action against the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leaders Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran Arshad on charges of sedition and anti-state activities. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Muzaffarabad has been assigned to investigate Mir under Section 124-A of the AJK Penal Code, while the Mirpur SSP will handle the probe against Arshad.
Following a review of the evidence, the AJK Home Department determined that the allegations require further legal scrutiny. Investigations have been ordered into purported criminal speeches, writings, publications, and electronic communications linked to the accused. The department has directed the district police chiefs to complete inquiries under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and to submit challans to the appropriate courts.
In a significant development, the AJK government declared JAAC a proscribed organization under anti-terrorism laws on June 5, citing the group’s involvement in terrorism and actions detrimental to the peace and security of the state. On Monday, AJK police reported that members of the banned group engaged in deliberate firing in Rawalakot, resulting in the martyrdom of four law enforcement officers and injuries to over 20 police and security personnel.
The latest directives from the Home Department come in the wake of a leaked audio recording allegedly featuring Mir and Arshad, alongside the violent incidents in Rawalakot. Additionally, the department issued a wanted list naming four individuals associated with the banned JAAC: Mir, Arshad, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, and Sardar Aman Khan. A reward of Rs10 million has been announced for information leading to their capture, with assurances that informants’ identities will be kept confidential. The AJK Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been instructed to ensure the prompt enforcement of this reward scheme.
Meanwhile, Syed Faisal Gilani, a former JAAC member, publicly distanced himself from the banned organization and condemned the violent attacks in Rawalakot. Separately, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry stated that the situation in AJK remains under control, with authorities actively safeguarding lives and property. He noted that the federal government has begun sincerely addressing the banned JAAC’s demands, but recent events indicate the group’s true objectives differ.
Chaudhry emphasized that conditions throughout AJK, including Rawalakot, are stable and managed. When questioned about fatalities during recent protests, he promised that a detailed press release would be issued to clarify the death toll.
